E-M5 & 7-14, then later in pouring rain

finally had some time to take a few photos. I like taking photos in raw format, which these all are. unfortunately, LR4 does not support the E-M5 yet, thus Olympus Viewer 2 was used. don't like it much, and didn't want to mess around with it, so these are simple exports to jpeg with no processing. for the purpose of this post, I think they are fine. probably will be shooting in jpeg+raw for a while until LR4 support is added.

the first series of shots are with the panny 7-14, in response to a request to test this combination. nothing spectacular, taken around a random part of town on the way back from a trip. then there's a random one with the 2/150 SHG 4/3 lens... I'll visit use with more of my 4/3 lenses later. the last series is a quick test in wind and rain conditions with the kit 12-50. had some time while waiting for new tires to be fitted to my car, so decided to walk around in the rain.

all shots done in P mode, with everything set at the default automatic settings. for any shots with EV compensation, those are unintentional... as to why explained later on. the ISO range for auto ISO is set to 200~1600 by default. I think it did a fair job selecting the ISO in this series, although I'd prefer it less aggressive with using the higher ISOs. probably the last time this camera will be used in fully-stock P mode for me.

in terms of handling, I like it. feels fairly natural, although I'm still getting used to the controls and I don't know my way around the settings too well yet. I'm left-eye dominant, so my nose ends up around the back buttons. it appears I managed to press the menu button with my nose during my first few uses (that was an odd surprise, suddenly getting a blank EVF screen for no apparent reason), but haven't experienced this oddity after the first few uses. a bit cramped, but not too different from using the E-620 or GH1. about the right size for me, so I like it.

one common issue I've encountered thus far is that the control dial around the top shutter of the optional grip can be turned too easily IMO, and I find the camera set to unintended exposure compensations at random times (as hinted earlier). in comparison, the control dial around the shutter on the camera body is half-recessed and doesn't have this issue. you have to move your finger deliberately to move the dial on-body, but I find that the fully-exposed dial on the optional grip can be turned accidentally if you tend to lay your trigger finger flat on the grip. it isn't an issue of the dial being too easy to turn though, I simply need to change my style so I approach the button more from the top. the configuration on the E-3/E-5 where the dial is recessed into the grip below the shutter button would have been more preferable, and I don't see why this couldn't have been done.

otherwise, I'm not accustomed enough to the body to comment much more. it isn't as intuitive as the 4/3 and m4/3 bodies I already own, being more menu-driven and similarly-placed buttons having different functions. will need to read the manual and simply use the camera more.

one thing I'd like to add though, is while the E-M5 is I think overall geared towards prosumer / pro use compared to other m4/3 bodies, some things seem a bit lacking. for example, even with the customization options available, not all buttons can be customized, and the options are limited for the ones that are. for example, it'd be nice if I can replicate the E-620 layout I'm used to using for the directional pad... but this doesn't seem possible at the moment. I want a dedicated button to switch between SAF/CAF/MF/SAF+MF/CAF+MF. certain buttons can be set to be a MF button, but 1) the button I want to assign to this does not have this option and 2) it only allows switching between MF and whatever other mode you are using. need to use the on-screen "super control panel" instead it seems.

photos:

stopping for a snack. fairly naturally-lit indoor setting with shade.

outside the burger joint, which happened to be by a bus garage. the built-in electronic level was very nice. first body I've owned to have one.

in search of more conditions where a wide is often used, I took some shots around city hall:

here is a shot with the superb 2/150 SHG 4/3 lens. it's a well-balanced combination if you add the two optional grips to the E-M5 IMO.

and a few shots testing the E-M5 in the rain. it was a harsh day today in Tokyo, with my area getting wind gusts over 35 m/s and heavy rain. I didn't protect the E-M5 from the rain at all, and it worked without issue as can be expected.

had a slight issue with the rain slightly interfering with the touchscreen operations, in addition to slight visibility issues. not sure how to prevent that, but it seems that I'll have to carry a small towel to wipe the screen so water doesn't interfere with touchscreen operations. having an option to hide the screen as with the various weatherproof 4/3 bodies would have been very nice.

another small issue is the cover for the DC input located on the optional grip can be opened accidentally too easily... but it's location on the side should prevent any serious issues even if opened accidentally. one thing to think about before attempting anything around extreme amounts of water though.

haven't used it too much yet, being occupied with other tasks thus far, but it is turning out to be a great camera.